Soft Place to Fall
by MsZoid
Summary: Starting over isn't always easy.
1. Chapter One

Soft Place to Fall.  
  
I do not own Degrassi. This is written at the begining of Craig/Spinner/Marco/etc's Junior Year/Grade 11, so Toby/Emma/Manny and all are Sophmores/Grade 10.  
  
Chapter one.   
  
Rory woke up to the sound of her alarm. It was loud, and she was scared, but she got out of bed anyway. She got dressed and headed downstairs to grab a bite to eat.   
  
Her grandfather was down there, and she was shocked "I thought you would be at the office already."  
  
"I wanted to see you off for your first day of public school." Miles Maxwell smiled at his only grandchild. She was the only daughter of his son Edgar, and he doted on her. It had been Miles's idea to have Rory living with him while her parents were in Europe. The going to public school had been Rory's idea, however. She was sick of Elmwood Prep, sick of everyone knowing that her Grandfather was Miles Maxwell of Maxwell, Maxwell, Creston and Royal. It was time for a change, and this was the perfect chance. No one knew her at Degrassi Community School. She would no longer be Aurora Josephine Maxwell, she would be plain old Rory.  
  
"Thank you so much for ...everything, grandpa. I'll be fine today. Do you want me to call you when I get home?"  
  
"Today, yes. After today, probably not. I just want to see how things went. First day and all." Both Miles and Rory stood up and headed to their cars.   
  
Rory headed into the parking lot of DCS, parking her jeep and heading to her homeroom. The teacher began class, sitting them in alphabetical order. She was next to a Gavin Mason, who smiled at her and introduced himself right away.   
  
"I'm Spinner."  
  
"Rory." Spinner smiled at her.   
  
The girl on the other side of her introduced herself too. "I'm Paige." Rory nodded and then she listened to the announcements before heading to first period.  
  
She had third period with Paige from homeroom and Paige plopped next to Rory. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"I'm good, how are you?"  
  
"I'm good. I don't have nearly enough classes this year with Spinner though-he's my boyfriend."  
  
Rory nodded. Then the person on the other side of her sat down. It was a boy with dark hair Paige smiled at him. The dark haired boy was also in her fourth period class, and she went over to him.  
  
"Ok, can you please point me toward the cafeteria?"  
  
The boy laughed. "Just follow me, ok?" At her nod she did as he wanted. "I'm Craig by the way."  
  
"Rory." They parted ways at the cafeteria door. She headed through the lunchline, then looked for a place to sit. There wasn't really any room, so she just plopped alone at a table. THen someone sat with her. "Is this ok?" It was Craig from before.  
  
"Sure, I just figured you'd be sitting with your friends."  
  
"I'm not...to comfortable around the people I used to be comfortable sitting with." Rory didn't ask anymore questions, and Craig was greatful for that. He didn't want to tell her how he used to be a cheeting asshole. The two ate in silence, then got ready for the next class of the day.  
  
"Thanks, Rory."  
  
"For what?"   
  
"For not asking me any questions about why I was sitting with you."  
  
"I was just glad for the company." Rory smiled at him and walked away, heading for her next class.  
  
The rest of the day went well, and Rory headed home happy. She hadn't made any close friendships, but she hadn't expected to. Everyone at Degrassi had known each other for years. However, she hoped that eventually she'd make some friends.  
  
Her grandfather was waiting when she got home. "How was your day?"  
  
"It was fine, I talked to a couple people and didn't sit alone at lunch. Thats all I can hope for on the first day of a new school."  
  
Miles nodded, "I'm sure you'll make friends eventually. I should head back to the office. I'll be back for dinner." He headed out then, and Rory started to work on her homework. 


	2. Chapter Two

I do not own Degrassi.  
  
Soft Place to Fall, Chapter two.  
  
The next day Rory was at her locker when she heard a voice say "Aurora Maxwell?" Rory knew she knew the female voice, and turned around and was looking at Ellie Nash.  
  
"Rory, you can call me Rory--Ellie! Hey!" Ellie's mother worked at the law firm, and Ellie and Rory had hung out at a few of the firm funtions, but they didn't know each other that well.  
  
"What are you doing at Degrassi? I Thought you went to a snooty prep school?"  
  
"MY parents are in Europe, so Grandpa took me out of it-he wanted me to try public school." Ellie nodded. "Can you please...not tell anyone about my family? I kinda want to try just being Rory."  
  
Ellie said "Sure, I understand." And she did, being someone who was keeping her own secrets.   
  
The two girls smiled at each other and headed to class. Rory wished she had a class with Ellie, but she didn't even have lunch with her.   
  
Lunch was again going to be spent with dark haired Craig, at least thats what Rory assumed when she saw him heading for her table as she bit into her apple.   
  
She realized she was right as Craig slid in across from her. "How's your second day going."  
  
"Well.Some of the classes are hard-I have no head for history."  
  
"I don't think anyone does. Then again, I want to be a musician or a photographer."  
  
"I'll probablly go into law, or accounting.I really like math."  
  
"What math are you in this year?"  
  
"Trig, what about you?"  
  
"I'm in algebra two..if i need help could I bring it with me to lunch sometime."  
  
"Sure...but really, you don't have to eat with me all the time. I mean, Craig you've been here for longer than I have, you have other people to eat with."  
  
"Not really." Craig looked at Rory. SHe seemed puzzled, and he didn't want to talk about certain things, but still.."I had some problems with relationships last year. So I'm still not comfortable with my old friends."   
  
Rory nodded. "I understand. I just wanted to let you know that I'm fine with eating alone, I did it alot at my old school."  
  
"WHere'd you move here from?"  
  
"Last year I went to a private school." That was all she was willing to say to him at this point. Perhaps she'd trust Craig eventually, he seemed nice enough. But that was a chance Rory was not willing to take.They settled back into the eating of lunch, not really talking.   
  
Craig had enjoyed his last two lunches with Rory, because of her quietness. As he headed home he saw her getting into a jeep, and waved at her. "Hey Rory!"  
  
She waved back. "Hi Craig!" Then she looked over to find Paige looking at her funny, with a tall black girl on one side of her and a hispanic-looking girl on the other. "Hi Paige, whats up?"  
  
"I didn't know you knew Craig."  
  
"We had lunch together today. I don't know him that well, but he seems ok."  
  
"Craig Manning is a bastard who broke my heart." One of the girls said. "I'm Manny."  
  
"Hazel." The other girl said.  
  
"Yeah. He hurt Manny and Ashley Kerwin."  
  
"Ashley Kerwin? She's in my trig class I think..." She pictured the girl who she'd seen walking out with Ellie after school. "Yeah, thats her."  
  
"He was dating both of us at the same time." Manny looked angry, and Rory suddenly realized why Craig was eating with her.  
  
"That's shitty." It was all she could think of to say-she liked Craig. He seemed nice, and she felt bad for all involved. She also realized that if she was friends with Craig, she couldn't be friends with Ellie, which also sucked. At that point, Rory just looked at the girls. They reminded her of the girls from her old prep school--snotty and with a false sense of superiority. Rory then got into her car and drove away without saying anything more. 


	3. Chapter Three

I do not own Degrassi.   
  
Soft Place to fall, chapter three  
  
Rory hadn't even gotten three blocks from the school when her car phone rang. With a sigh she started to picking it up,before remembering that it couldn't possibly be her mother.  
  
"Rory? Its your grandpa. I left a file at home I need, can you bring it to me."  
  
"At the office? Sure."  
  
"No, I'm at Jeremiah Motors. I'll give you directions from home." After he did, she headed to get the file.   
  
When Craig got home from school, he saw that Emma Nelson was going to be taking her brother Jack and Craig's sister Angie for a walk. "Hey Emma, Angie. Where are you guys going?"  
  
"Daddy's, I want a popsicle and we don't have any at home. Are you comming with?"  
  
"Sure" Craig agreed. THe four of them-Jack in his stroller, the others walking, began headed to Jeremiah Motors.   
  
"Emma, how's Chris?"   
  
"Chris is good." Craig nodded. He liked Emma's new sort of boyfriend, Chris Sharp, and the three of them had gone to the movies a couple times that summer. He'd gotten close with Emma because of her babysitting, and she almost felt like another sister to him. "We have lunch together, thats good. Of course, Manny's in there too, with her new lap dog JT." The two of them laughed, because JT was becomming Manny's lapdog, following her around and everything. Craig was just glad that Manny seemed happier than she had since the abortion.  
  
Rory got to the lot and headed to the office with the file. She now remembered the Jeremiah Motors case-her cousin was involved. Robert Edgar Kingston III, the son of her mothers older brother and known as "Bo" had stolen a car from the lot. Rory couldn't believe that Bo had done such a thing, but he wasn't very bright. She had been shocked when her father had taken the case, trying to work out a settlement deal. Then, of course, he'd left the country with her mother, leaving Miles to pick up the pieces.  
  
Rory took the folder into the office, where her grandfather was sitting with a man she assumed to be the Jeremiah of Jeremiah Motors. "I brought the file."  
  
"Aren't you a little young to be the secretary?" The man asked her, but he was smiling as though he knew who she was.  
  
"This is Rory, my granddaughter, I was telling you about her. Rory, this is Joey Jeremiah. His stepson is a student at Degrassi like you." Rory just nodded. "I hope we can get this case settled."  
  
"Me too. I just wish that little bastard didn't think he was entitled to getting off because of his money. No offence." He added, looking at Rory. Rory didn't know if that meant he knew Bo was her cousin or if he was looking at her because her family had money.   
  
"Rory, could you wait outside while I settle things, then I was thinking we could go somewhere for dinner." Rory nodded and headed out to wait on the steps of the office trailer.   
  
As Craig, Emma and Angela got closer to the car lot, Emma noticed a very nice car out front. "Who's car is that?"  
  
"I don't know..wait, yeah, I do. It must belong to the lawyer. The kid who stole from the car lot has Maxwell, Maxwell, Creston and Royal representing him. He must be a rich moron, not just a moron."  
  
"Didn't you steal a car once?"  
  
"Can we not talk about that?" Craig eyed the car--it was a BMW, and a nice one. They got closer and he noticed a second car, a jeep that looked familar to him, and a figure sitting on the steps of the trailer that housed Joey's office. As they got closer he recognized Rory.   
  
Rory heard the wheels of what seemed to be a stroler and looked up to find two teenagers and a little girl walking towards her, the girl teenager pushing the stroller. As they got closer she recognized Craig, her lunch buddy as the male of the pair.   
  
Craig, Emma, Angela and Jack made it to the steps and Craig said hello to Rory. "Hey, Rory, here to buy a car."  
  
Rory didn't have it in her to lie-it had been a long day, and even if she did lie her grandfather would be out soon and could give her away. "I'm waiting for my grandfather, he's in there talking to Mr. JEremiah, what brings you here."  
  
"Joey-Mr. Jeremiah-is my stepfather, and Angie's dad. She wanted to see him." Rory nodded. "Your grandfather is the lawyer from Maxwell, Maxwell, Creston and Royal? Joey said he was kinda jerky."  
  
"No, the jerk was my father, this is grandpa's first time speaking to your stepfather. My dad...he was doing the case as a favor to my mother's family, and my grandfather doesn't care for them."   
  
"I'm Emma" Emma finally spoke up, realizing that the girl standing before them belonged to one of the wealthiest families in the area. She'd heard about Miles Maxwell, and his son James before-they did some charity work.   
  
"Rory. Its nice to meet you. Are you a grade 11?" She only slightly recognized the blond with Craig.   
  
"Grade 10. I babysit for Angie...this is my little brother Jack."  
  
"He's a cutie." Rory leaned over to say hello to the boy, who looked about one or so. As she was doing this Joey and Miles came out of the office.  
  
"Daddy!" Angie ran up to her father, who picked her up and smiled at Miles as he did so. "I like school"  
  
"Thats good, Angie. Thank you for everything."  
  
Miles smiled back at Joey and went over to where Craig, Rory and Emma were. "I'm done, Rory. Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"  
  
"This is Craig and Emma., Grandpa. Craig and Emma this is my grandfather, Miles Maxwell." They all nodded at each other, then nothing much was said for a few minutes.  
  
Craig finally spoke up, "So, Rory, does this mean you can tutor me for free now?"  
  
Rory laughed and then finally spoke. "I was going to do it for free anyway. But I'd rather it not be spread around about my family's ...well, yeah."   
  
Craig and Emma both nodded, then Emma said her goodbyes and wheeled off with Jack to go home.  
  
Miles spoke then. "Craig, would you like to have dinner with Rory and I?"  
  
"If its ok with Rory and Joey, Mr. Maxwell, then sure."  
  
"Of course its ok with me, Craig. I would have told Grandpa off if it wasn't." Joey agreed also and the three headed for dinner. 


	4. Chapter Four

I don't own anything. Seriously, all of my belongings fit in a half-dozen plastic bags and two small boxes. Its pretty sad.  
  
Needless to say, I don't own Degrassi.  
  
Soft Place to Fall-Chapter Four.  
  
Rory drove her jeep to Craig's stepfather's house, and then the three of them got into Miles' car and headed to the restaurant. It wasn't until they got close that Craig realized where they were going. Miles parked the car in the lot, and Craig wondered how he was going to get through the evening. He hadn't been back to the restaurant since he had dinner with his father that night.   
  
Rory noticed that Craig looked nervous as they walked up to the restaurant, but she just assumed that he was just nervious about having dinner with a semi-friend and her grandfather. She caught his eye and smiled, and he smiled back, tightly. Craig knew that Rory didn't know about his father, and he wasn't about to explain to her at that point.   
  
The three of them settled in and Miles began the conversation by asking Craig what classes he had with Rory. The conversation flowed easily on the subject of school, and they ordered the food. Craig felt himself getting nervouser and nervouser. After he ate his salad, he excused himself for a moment.   
  
Craig ran out of the restaurant, standing on the sidewalk. He closed his eyes, remembering that night. The fight he'd gotten into about his life choices. Coming home and getting the call that his father was dead. He started crying, quietly.  
  
Craig felt the hand on his shoulder, and turned around, half expecting his father to be there. It was Rory. "Craig, are you ok?"  
  
Rory had headed out to find Craig once the food had arrived at the table. She had put the hand on his shoulder, not expecting he would be crying when he turned around. "I'm fine Rory."  
  
"No, you aren't. What's wrong?"  
  
"My father and I ate here the night he died--we got into a fight..right where I'm standing. He drove away and that was it, I never saw him again." Rory hugged Craig tightly. She didn't ask anymore questions, knowing he would talk when ready.  
  
"Do you want me to drive you back home?"  
  
Craig shook his head. "No, I think I'll be ok." Rory nodded and they headed back into the restaurant.   
  
Dinner was enjoyable enough, and then they were headed home. As Craig and Rory got out of the car at Craig's house, Rory's phone rang. She waved at her grandfather, who drove away. Craig stood near Rory as she answered the phone.  
  
"Rory Maxwell. Oh, Hello Mother. I'm sort of busy. Yes, we just had dinner. I'm at a friends house. Its Degrassi, mother. Ok, I see. Can I call you tomorrow? Ok, have fun." She hung up the phone then and couldn't help but roll her eyes. "That was the Diva."  
  
"Your mother? You call her the Diva?"  
  
"Yes, I do." Rory started giggling. "Do you know why I'm living with your grandfather?"  
  
Craig shook his head. "I wanted to ask you that but I figured it was too personal."  
  
"My dad is working on something in Europe, and my mom's over there too. She's having some plastic surgery done." Craig couldn't believe Rory was telling him this about her own mother. But he had to agree it was pretty funny. "If she was here I wouldn't be at Degrassi. She'd sent me to a prep school, wants me to be pretty and perfect and a society wife."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"I want to go to college and be a lawyer or a CPA. I'm not the person she wants."  
  
"My dad was like that.." Craig didn't believe what he said next, but he did. "He hit me."  
  
"Ah." Rory just nodded. "What a night for true confessions, huh?"  
  
The two of them smiled and then Rory headed home. 


	5. Chapter Five

I don't own Degrassi.   
  
I put this in my other story--but if you are reading this story, and enjoy it, or hate it, or wonder why you are still reading it--please review. Thank you.  
  
Soft Place to Fall, Chapter Five.  
  
The day after the dinner was good and quiet, just the way Rory liked her days.   
  
It was the next day, and Rory was heading into the building when she heard someone calling her name. It was Emma.  
  
"Hey, Emma, whats up?"  
  
"I was wondering-you don't have to do this-its just a favor."  
  
"Spit it out!" Rory laughed at Emma's nervousness.  
  
"Can you give me a ride home tonight? My stepdad has a meeting with Raditch-he works here-and my mom has to take Jack to the doctors." Rory was one of the few people at Degrassi Emma felt comfortable with to begin with, and the only one with a car.   
  
"Sure! Meet me out here after school ok?" At Emma's nod Rory headed into the building.   
  
Rory sat at the usual table at lunch, and when someone sat next to her she went to say hello to Craig, but it wasn't him. It was Ellie Nash. She was without the tall girl who she usually hung around with--the one she'd been told was Craig's ex.  
  
"Hey Ellie!"  
  
"Hey Rory, is it ok if I sit here?"  
  
"Where's Ashley?" A third voice cut in, and Craig slid into his usual chair across from Rory.  
  
"Dentist." Ellie answered the question with one word, and it was obvious she couldn't decide if she should be nice to Craig or not.   
  
"I see." The three of them began eating.  
  
Ellie finally spoke. "How do you like it here at Degrassi, Rory?"  
  
"I like it a lot. I'm glad I'm here instead of where I was last year." There were many ways to take that statement, and Ellie took it at face value-that Rory didn't like her old school. Craig knew she was also talking about living with her grandfather as opposed to her parents."The classes aren't as bad as I thought they'd be."  
  
"Is that how you met Craig? In class?"  
  
"Yes, he sits by me in English, and we have psych together. I'm sorry we don't have any classes together, though, Ellie."   
  
"Yeah, that would have been nice." Ellie agreed. "I was going to ask you to sit with us the first day, but then I saw you with Craig and..."  
  
"Ashley would have gotten upset." Craig finished. Rory just nodded blandly. She was still unsure what had happened with Craig, Ashley, and Manny, and found herself not particularly caring if she knew or not.   
  
"You hurt her."   
  
"I messed up."   
  
"No shit." Ellie smiled then, slightly. "Hey, Craig, did you do the algebra assignment?"  
  
"Yes, but I didn't finish it. Actually...He drew the book out of his bag then. "Rory, can you help me with this equation?"  
  
Ellie pulled her book out of her bag too, and Rory wound up helping them both with a difficult equation.  
  
After school, Emma was waiting for Rory but she wasn't alone. Manny was with her. Emma seemed apologetic. "I hope you don't mind but..."  
  
"No, its fine."  
  
"Spirit squad practice was cancelled" Manny explained. "And I didn't find out until last minute so I couldn't get a ride with anyone."  
  
Rory led the two girls over to her jeep, and they got inside. After getting directions, Rory decided to take Manny home first.  
  
"Rory, thats your name, right? It sounds like a boys name." This, coming from a girl named Manny?   
  
"Its my nickname." That was all she said. She didn't want anyone to know her real first name, because she hated it.  
  
"I see. So's mine, its short for Manuela." Rory just nodded and kept driving. "Are you still hanging out with Craig Manning? Because he's bad news."  
  
"I think Craig's a nice guy. I've been eating lunch with him, and helping him with math homework." Rory kept her voice bland, something she had practice with.   
  
"He's a jerk."  
  
"Manny, he hurt you yes, but that doesn't mean he hasn't changed." Emma but in, she was friends with Craig as well and didn't like listening to Manny talk about him. This was why she was trying not to be as close with Manny as before, even though they'd made up over the summer.   
  
"Whatever." They pulled into Manny's driveway then, and the girl got out. Rory headed toward Emma's then.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Has Craig...has anyone really...ever told you what happened with him and Manny and Ashley?"  
  
"Nope, and I don't really want to know. I mean, if Craig tells me thats fine, but I'm not going to ask him for that information. Its his business."  
  
"I see."  
  
"He's obviously not the same person he was, because I know jerks, and he's not one." She pulled into Emma's driveway then, and dropped her off. "See you tomorrow."  
  
Emma waved goodbye to Rory, who headed home to finish reading her psychology. 


	6. Chapter Six

I don't own Degrassi. I don't own much of anything, my computer doesn't even have sound right now.  
  
But for those of you with sound, I recomend the song which the title of the story comes from, its by Allison Moorer.  
  
Also--Rory's father is named Edgar, not James as mentioned in an eariler chapter. All errors are mine.   
  
Soft Place to Fall: Chapter Six  
  
The first two weeks of classes went by quickly. Rory ate lunch with Craig almost every day, she'd also eaten once or twice with Ellie and Ashley. However, Ashley seemed hostile to Rory because of her friendship with Craig. Rory didn't enjoy dealing with that sort of thing, so she went back to eating lunches with Craig and sometimes tutoring Ellie in math after school. She'd also gone to the movies with Emma and Chris once, and once with Emma and Craig. Rory was getting used to Degrassi, and liked it much better than Elmwood Prep.  
  
It was the third week of classes when Rory's English professor gave out an assigment. The teacher had put everyone into pairs and given them a poem that involved mentions of flowers. They were to write about the flower mentioned in the poem, and give a projet on that flower. Rory and Craig had been given e.e. cumming's "Somewhere i have never traveled," which mentioned roses.   
  
"At least we got an easy flower." Craig said. "And I know you're smart."  
  
"At math, Craig. I'm smart at math."   
  
"Whatever." They set to work on the project that lunch hour in the library.   
  
After school Rory saw Ellie and Ashley walking and waved them other. "Do you guys need a ride?"  
  
"Sure!" Ellie hopped into the car, and Ashley followed, not looking very happy about it. The girls gave Rory directions, and they headed off.  
  
"Thanks for the algebra help, Rory, i got a B on the test!"  
  
"Oh, thats good."   
  
"I didn't know you were helping Ellie." Ashley spoke, and Rory sat in shock for a moment, at that rare event.  
  
"I helped her after school yesterday."   
  
"We should hang out sometime, all three of us." Ellie wanted for Rory and Ashley to become friends. She liked both girls, and hated that Ashley couldn't stand Rory. Ellie felt it was stupid to 'punish' Rory for making friends with Craig.  
  
"I'd like that." Amazingly enough, Rory meant it. She was getting used to Degrassi, and she liked Ellie, and felt she would like Ashley. Ashley just needed to get off of her high horse about Craig.   
  
"Maybe this weekend?" Ashley offered. She wanted to like Rory, she really did, but something about Rory struck Ashley as odd. Like she carried around something in her head that no one else knew about.   
  
As they got closer to Ashley's house, Rory's phone rang. "Hello."  
  
"Aurora Maxwell." ONly one person would say her name like that, drawing out all the sylables. It was Craig. "What are you up to Aurora."  
  
"I hate it when you use my full name. And I'm driving Ellie and Ashley home."  
  
"Come over after you are done, Aurora Maxwell."  
  
"You sound like a serial killer when you say my name that way. And why the hell did I tell you what my real first name is?"  
  
"Because you adore me Aurora Maxwell."  
  
"listen, I'll call you when I drop Ashley and Ellie off, you can torture me more then." At that Rory hung up the phone mumbling under her breath "Idiot boy"  
  
"Was that Craig?" Ellie had to ask. "Because he told me the other day that he knew your real first name."  
  
"Yes, and he keeps using my full name. Its annoying."  
  
"What is your full name?" Ashley had just assumed that Rory was her full name.   
  
"Aurora. Like the princess." Ashley nodded, and they pulled into the Kerwin/Isaacs driveway, letting her out. Then Rory took Ellie home and headed to Craig's house, calling to let him know she was coming. 


	7. Chapter Seven

I don't own Degrassi.  
  
Soft Place to Fall, Chapter Seven  
  
Rory headed to Craig's house, and he opened the door with a smile. "You can't enter the house unless you promise not to mention our English Project."  
  
"I promise, now let me in." He did, and the two of them plopped on the couch. "So, whats up?"  
  
"I'm so bored. We were supposed to have band practice, but the rest of the band is off with their significant others. So its just me and the TV. And you now."  
  
"Oh, yay, us and the TV. Is it just me or do we spend far too much time sitting on our asses?"  
  
"Its just you, Aurora." Craig grinned at her as he said her full name, she responded with sticking out her tounge. "Real mature, young lady."  
  
"I can't believe you just called me young lady." Rory and Craig cracked up then, and they decided to head over to Rory's house, or rather, Craig did.  
  
"I think we should go to your house."  
  
"Why my house?"  
  
"Because I've never seen it."   
  
"Its a house."   
  
"Come on Rory!...see, I even called you Rory." Rory just nodded, knowing that Craig wouldn't shut up until he got his way, and they headed to Rory's grandfather's home, where Rory was living.   
  
The house was in a nice neighborhood, just on the edge of the Degrassi school district. Two blocks away, and Rory wouldn't have been a student at Degrassi. It was a nice house, large, the sort of house that whispered money. It didn't yell wealth, it just stated it, honestly.   
  
Rory had a fairly large bedroom, and she had a TV with a DVD/VCR in her room. That was about the only thing she had, aside from her jeep, that showed wealth. However, she didn't take Craig to her room, rather they hung out in the tv room.   
  
"Where's Mr. Maxwell?"  
  
"The office, probably. With my dad out of the country everyone else is working long hours."  
  
Craig nodded, then joked, "so, you don't trust me in your room."  
  
"Hey, you never know what can happen with two virgins in a bedroom."   
  
"I'm not a virgin...I thought you knew."   
  
"Knew what?"  
  
"You know Manny Santos?" At Rory's nod Craig continued. "I got her pregnant last year."  
  
Rory was dumbfounded. She had no idea. "Is this why she hates you?"  
  
Craig nodded. "Yes. And at the time I got her pregnant I was dating Ashley Kerwin, which is why she hates me." Rory's eyes grew wide, but she let Craig continue. "I lay in bed some nights, wishing I could go back in time a year, redo all the messups. Take everything I know now and put it to who I was then, but thats not possible."  
  
"Is that why you started hanging out with me?"  
  
"At first, yes, but then I started likeing you. You and Emma are probably my best friends right now. I'm good friends with the guys in the band, yes, but its uncomfortable being around them."  
  
"Because of Ashley and Manny?"  
  
Craig nodded. "Yeah, you and Emma have never judged me. Well, Emma did at first, but we became friends. And because you didn't know..."  
  
"I didn't have many friends at my old school. I never felt like I fit in. Now I have you and Emma and Ellie and even Ashley to a degree. I came here to start over, I shouldn't give you a hard time for wanting to start over after what happened in your past."  
  
The two of them smiled at each other, and turned on the TV. 


	8. Chapter Eight

I don't own Degrassi.   
  
Soft Place to Fall, Chapter Eight.  
  
Emma and Rory met after school, having decided they were going to the mall. Rory ran home first, Emma coming with, to get her mail. There wasn't much there, but there was an invitation to the birthday party of Rory's cousin Bo.   
  
"Ugh, I don't want to go, everyone from my old school will be there."  
  
"That would suck."  
  
"And of course, if I don't go, I'll never hear the end of it from my mother." Rory stared at the invitation for a little longer, before she saw the words that just might save her. "And Guest!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Its to Aurora Maxwell and guest. I'll bring Craig as my date." Rory was smiling now. "That way I'll have someone to hang around with."  
  
"A date huh?"  
  
"Just as friends. But as he's male it will Look like a date. Which is all Aunt Betsy will see, and will tell my mother." Rory nodded, making up her mind to call Craig after they were done at the mall. "Ready to go?" At Emma's nod they headed to the mall.  
  
"Emma, do you think its tacky to bring the son of the guy who's car lot Bo got arrested at to his party?"  
  
"I'm gonna say yes for that one."  
  
"Perfect." Rory's smile was slightly evil, and very happy. "I know that's mean, but Bo's been driving me nuts since we were kids."  
  
The two girls headed to the food court to eat, and they both noticed that they weren't the only Degrassi student in the mall that night. "There's Manny, who's that she's with?"  
  
Manny and her companion were heading towards Emma and Rory, when Rory realized Manny's companion was her cousin. "Its Bo. Manny and Bo, huh." Rory's first feeling was disbelief, then she realized something else-that if Manny found out about her parents, it would be all around school. Rory also knew that running was a bad idea, so she just stood and waited for the couple to walk over.  
  
"Hey, Emma, Hey Rory."  
  
"Hey Manny, Hey Bo."  
  
"Rory, how are you?" Bo was being very polite, no doubt worried that Rory would tell her mother. "Did you get an invitation to my party?"  
  
"Yes, I'll be there. I'm bringing a friend."  
  
"Wait, you two know each other? And you're going to be at Bo's party too." Oh, great. Craig, Rory, Bo and Manny at the same party? This was going to be interesting.  
  
"Rory's my cousin, honey." Honey? Emma and Rory both stiffled giggles at that. "I'll see you at the party, I guess." Bo and Manny walked away.   
  
That night, Rory called Craig about the party. "Hey, I have a favor to ask of you next weekend. You can say no."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"My cousin Bo-the one Joey nailed for stealing the car-is having a party for his birthday. I don't want to go alone."  
  
"I'm in."  
  
"There's something else, though. Bo's dating Manny Santos."  
  
"So?" Craig realized that this was the only way Rory had mentioned Manny's pregnancy in the week since Craig had told her. He liked this fact, as if it was just another thing in his past, a blip on the radar.   
  
"You're ok with that."  
  
"Yes, I am. How'd you find out he's dating Manny?"  
  
"Saw them at the mall. Which means that everyone's going to find out about my parents."  
  
"You know, that could be interesting, watching Paige and Hazel kissing your ass."   
  
"Maybe that would be funny." Rory allowed. "But still, it makes me uncomfortable. I'm glad I've got you and Emma on my side. Especially you for lunch tomorrow."  
  
"Rory, I'll be whatever you need me to be, you know that." Rory smiled, Craig was a good friend.


End file.
